Early Literacy Predictors and Second-Grade Outcomes in Children Who Are Hard of Hearing

This study contrasted the early literacy outcomes of children who are hard of hearing (CHH) with children with normal hearing (CNH). At age 5, prereading skills of oral language, phonological processing, and print knowledge were examined in CHH (N = 180) and CNH (N = 80). The CHH had poorer oral language and phonological processing abilities than the CNH but comparable knowledge of print. At age 8, measures of word reading, and reading comprehension yielded no differences between CHH (N = 108) and CNH (N = 62) except for reading comprehension for the moderately severe CHH. Reading achievement in CHH was found to exceed predictions based on prereading performance. This resilience was associated with gains in oral language during the early school years.     

Executive Function and Reading Comprehension: A Meta-Analytic Review

This article presents a meta-analytic review of the relation between executive function and reading comprehension. Results (N = 6,673) supported a moderate positive association between executive function and reading comprehension (r = .36). Moderator analyses suggested that correlations between executive function and reading comprehension did not vary systematically by age range, type of executive function measure used, type of reading comprehension measure used, or whether the study was a dissertation or a published article but did vary by type of executive function examined in the studies. Studies linking specific executive functions with reading comprehension are then reviewed. The article concludes by discussing implications for a theoretical model of reading comprehension as well as for future research.     

Training personnel in multinational businesses: An inoculation approach

A significant need for expanded personnel training programs and facilities in multinational businesses exists in these rapidly changing times. William McGuire's inoculation theory has been adapted to create an inoculation agenda which consists of 10 elements which constitute the focus of a developmental program: (1) Linguistic variables, (2) Individual Identity and Status, (3) Historical and Political Climates of the Host Culture, (4) Social Values and Structure, (5) Economic Trends and Conditions, (6) Technological Language Vocabularies, (7) Nonverbal Cues and Signals, (8) Family Orientations and Traditions, (9) Managerial Skills, and (10) Company Objectives and Policies. Reactions of overseas personnel to these 10 elements, working separately or together, may either facilitate or frustrate employees' abilities to communicate effectively while on overseas assignments. This proposal has far reaching implications and potential for use and reuse when entering or re-entering various cultures.     

Effects of an executive function-based text support on strategy use and comprehension–integration of conflicting informational texts

Reading and Writing - Executive functions (EF) have been theoretically implicated in multiple text comprehension. Yet, the contributions of EFs to comprehension and integration of multiple texts...     

Knowledge and perceptions of sport psychology within English soccer

The aim of the present study was to examine knowledge and perceptions of applied sport psychology within English soccer. National coaches (n?=?8), youth academy directors (n?=?21) and academy coaches (n?=?27) were surveyed using questionnaire and interview methods. Questionnaire results revealed a lack of knowledge of sport psychology that appeared to underpin some of the most significant barriers to entry for sport psychologists. These included lack of clarity concerning the services of a sport psychologist, problems fitting in and players' negative perceptions of sport psychology. Overall, however, lack of finance was the highest rated barrier. Six barrier dimensions emerged from the interview data: negative perceptions of psychology, lack of sport psychology knowledge, integrating with players and coaching staff, role and service clarity, practical constraints, and perceived value of sport psychology. These findings were broadly compatible with the survey data, with finance emerging as a major barrier and misconceptions of sport psychology being common. Our conclusions are discussed in relation to the practical implications of the study for both applied research and the provision of sport psychology services within English soccer.     

Overcoming a Learning Bottleneck: Inquiry Professional Development for Secondary Science Teachers

This paper examines the summer component of a year-long professional development program. The program was developed based on recent models of effective professional development that indicate that teachers should guide the direction and focus of the professional development program. Specific activities in the summer program were adapted from a long-running, successful program for university faculty development. In this study we explore the conceptions of inquiry teachers developed during the program, as well as the products teachers created. The discrepancies between program goals and the teachers’ products and conceptions are described and reasons for these differences explored. The results suggest that engaging teachers in identifying key issues in their own professional development is an effective strategy.